


love, they say it heals all wounds

by JourEtNuit



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Post-Volume 5 (RWBY), Team Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 06:04:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16011803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JourEtNuit/pseuds/JourEtNuit
Summary: It's a long trip to Atlas, but maybe that's not a bad thing, because Yang and Blake need some time and space to figure things out.This is the story of their journey from Haven to Atlas, and from broken trust to reconciliation.





	love, they say it heals all wounds

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from the song "Love They Say", by Tegan and Sara, because I'm gay.

It happens a week after the battle of Haven. 

They’ve been hiking through the woods for three days, after a train took them to the border of Mistral. It’s only the four of them - the rest of their friends stayed behind to protect Haven. Qrow is helping the new headmaster, but he’s supposed to meet them when they reach the coastline, and they’ll find a way to get the relic to Atlas together.

At first, it’s just another day of endlessly walking amidst the tall pine trees. Weiss is a little behind, grumbling to herself about the lack of showers, the terrible food, the abysmal state of her shoes, when she catches a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye. She reacts instantly, lunging forward, and narrowly escapes a monstrous claw. 

“Grimm!” she yells, glyph already hovering above her hand, focusing on her summon. Yang springs into action, rushing to her side, as dozens of grimms appear all around them, and just like that, they’re in the middle of combat.

For a while, it’s all going well. Blake swings her blade from monster to monster, leaving trails of black dust, while Weiss and Yang hold the front line. Ruby is a whirlwind of red petals, directing their efforts, and Weiss barely has to think, responding to the words and cues from her teammates, the four of them working together like a well oiled machine.

Until Ruby shouts “Bumblebee!”, and the machine falters. Blake hesitates just a moment too long, Yang runs a little too far. Blake’s weapon slips from Yang’s fingers and, unable to stop herself, caught in the momentum, she goes barreling into the biggest ursa. The grimm sinks its teeth into Yang’s shoulder, and throws her violently against a tree.

Yang’s aura flickers as she crumples to the ground. The rest of the grimms, sensing vulnerability, turn towards her, and suddenly Weiss’s chest fills with fear.

Blake is the first one to react, quick as lightning as she cuts a path through the mass of monsters till she’s standing next to Yang, helping her to her feet. Weiss rushes to their side, Ruby watching her back, and the four of them finish the fight together. 

It doesn’t take them long to clear out the remaining grimms, but the victory is bittersweet, the near disaster leaving them all a little shocked. “Yang, are you okay?” Blake asks, voice a little unsteady, out of breath.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry,” Yang replies, not quite looking her in the eye. Weiss glances at Ruby, and she can tell they’re thinking the same thing.

The awkwardness between Yang and Blake has been painfully obvious since they left Haven. They’re tense around each other, and weirdly out of sync, but Weiss and Ruby had both decided to let them figure things out at their own pace. That’s no longer an option if the state of their relationship puts the team in danger - which means, somebody is going to have to talk some sense into them. 

And Weiss has a pretty good guess who that somebody’s gonna end up being.

“That was a close one,” Ruby sighs, watchful eyes on her sister. “I think we deserve to take it easy this evening. There should be a river a little way up north, let’s make camp there.”

They have no trouble finding a suitable clearing on the river bank, and setting up camp is an easy routine by now. Yang takes care of the fire, Ruby puts up the tent, Weiss and Blake make dinner. This time, though, Ruby gives Weiss a very pointed look, before loudly announcing she’s going to secure the perimeter. 

Weiss rolls her eyes, but she knew this was coming. The other two stay silent, clearly preoccupied. Yang is sitting on a log, staring at the camp fire in front of her, jaw clenched. Blake keeps stealing glances at her, cat ears twitching nervously as she stirs the vegetable stew they’re having for dinner. 

Well, then. Weiss pinches the bridge of her nose. “All right, you two, that’s enough.”

“Uh?” Yang raises her head in surprise. Blake stops stirring. 

“You need to talk,” Weiss states, not unkindly. She gestures to the space between the two of them. “This… has to stop.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Yang starts, but Weiss cuts her off, exasperated. “Yes, you do! Since Blake came back, you guys have barely even _looked_ at each other. You’re always tense around her, and she’s all nervous and awkward, and frankly, I’ve had enough of this nonsense.”

“Weiss…” Blake protests, softly. “It’s okay if it takes some time to go back to normal.”

Yang huffs, and for the first time in a while, she’s looking directly at Blake. “There is no normal to go back to. That’s not how it works.”

Blake blinks. “Oh. I just meant…”

She falls silent again, and looks down at her feet. Weiss sighs, and turns toward Yang. “You,” she lectures, “need to learn to tell people how you feel.”

Yang crosses her arms defensively, looking like she might want to argue, but Weiss raises a finger. “No, let me finish. You can’t expect Blake to just guess what you need from her, you have to use your words. Communication, Yang. It’s not magic.”

Weiss takes a deep breath, and turns to Blake. “And you! Will you stop being all self-sacrificial, and tell her you’re sorry already? Forgiveness isn’t something that just falls at your feet, Blake, you have to earn it. So enough with the silent martyr act. If you want to fix this, do something about it!”

Blake’s cheeks turn pink, and she opens her mouth, a little offended, but Weiss is having none of it, tonight.

“I’m not done!” she says, stern and scowling. Blake’s mouth closes. “Look, it’d be one thing if we were still at school, but we’re in the middle of a war, and lives are at stake. You’re endangering each other in combat - that’s unacceptable.”

She glares at them, and Yang has the good grace to look sheepish. “So I’m going to find Ruby and we’ll stay out of your way tonight, and you two are going to talk it out, or so help me I am personally feeding you to Salem! Am I clear?”

“Yep,” Yang says.

“Crystal,” Blake says.

“Good.”

And with one final glare, Weiss marches out of the campsite.

 

There’s a minute of awkward silence. Yang rubs the back of her neck. “Well,” she says, glancing up at Blake. “I did not see that coming.”

“She’s not wrong,” Blake mutters. She walks up to Yang and sits on the log beside her. “I messed up earlier, during the fight. I could have gotten you hurt.” The word she doesn’t say hangs between them like a wine glass perched precariously on the edge of a table, right before it goes crashing down on the ground. _Again_. I could have gotten you hurt _again_. 

“It wasn’t just you,” Yang counters, resting her elbows on her knees. “I was moving too fast, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“No, it was me. I’m sorry.”

“Blake, I don’t wanna talk about the fight,” Yang snaps, a little curt. She unclenches her fist and exhales, trying to let go of her sudden frustration. “You left.”

She means to say it matter-of-factly, but something catches in her throat, and she almost doesn’t recognize her voice - she sounds so _small_.

Blake sighs. “I wish I hadn’t,” she says. Her ears turn sideways, matching the nervousness in her eyes, and it makes something hurt in Yang’s chest. “I wish I had been there for you.”

She stays silent after that, until Yang taps her thigh, not quite gently. “Hey, we’re having a conversation right now, you don’t get to just zone out on me.” 

“Sorry. I just don’t know how to…” Blake doesn’t finish her sentence, staring at the metal fingers still on her thigh. Yang hurriedly removes her hand. Warmth creeps up her neck, and she has no idea what to do with it, so she stops talking in circles, and jumps straight to the heart of the matter.

“Why did you leave?” 

Blake swallows. “I thought it was the right thing to do,” she whispers, and she joins her hands together in her lap, and starts talking. She talks of Adam’s threats, of fear and guilt, of running back to Menagerie. She talks about her parents and Sun and learning to let people in again. She talks, and Yang listens, never interrupting her, and it’s the most Blake’s ever said to her. 

When she’s done, Yang takes a moment to absorb it all. She realizes it’s not the full story, there are still plenty of questions unanswered. But at least now, she understands why Blake thought she had to leave, and that makes a world of difference. “Okay. Thank you.”

Blake pushes curls of dark hair away from her eyes, and looks at Yang, her face open and honest and _aching_. “I understand if this isn’t enough, or if it doesn’t change anything for you. But I want you to know…I am sorry, Yang, I’m so, so sorry. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you.”

The words sink into Yang’s heart like bullets through a wooden shield, and suddenly she feels like crying. “How do I know you won’t leave me again?” she asks. It comes out all strangled, and Yang blinks once, twice, fighting the tears. “How do I trust you again?”

“I’m here to stay,” Blake says, simply. 

She doesn’t add anything else, and somehow it’s enough to calm Yang - and not enough at the same time. “I want to believe you,” Yang replies, echoing a past conversation.

“Then I’ll just have to prove it to you,” Blake says. She tries to smile, and it’s a little wobbly, a little shy, but Yang looks at her and smiles back.

It feels like the first step.

 

It takes them a couple more days to reach the other side of the woods, and thankfully they don’t encounter any more danger. Ruby makes a few jokes about being bored, what with the lack of fights and monsters, but Blake is relieved. It’s nice to have some quiet time - it helps her get used to the team again. They’ve all grown, in small and very big ways, and Blake was not there for any of the changes. Sometimes, that stings a little, the faded ache of an old scar, but then she listens to Ruby talking strategy over dinner, or she notices Weiss practicing her summon early in the morning, or she watches as Yang tweaks something in the mechanism of her metal arm - and all she feels is pride.

Barely one day out of the forest, and they’re already lost. All around them are fields of wheat and sunflowers, and big, black and white cows. Many, many cows, placidly chewing grass while Ruby and Yang argue over the map.

They’ve been at it for half an hour now, trying to figure out where exactly is the rendezvous point with Qrow, and the fastest way to get there. Blake and Weiss have retreated under the shade of a massive oak tree, watching them from afar. It’s the first time she’s alone with Weiss since talking with Yang, and Blake is trying this new thing where she doesn’t avoid necessary conversations.

So she turns towards Weiss, and says, quietly, “thank you.”

Weiss raises an eyebrow. “For what?”

“Making us talk to each other, the other day. I wanted to, I just… it never felt like the right time, and so I kept putting it off.” Blake smiles. “I’m glad you were there to boss us around.”

“Oh, anytime. Bossing people around is one of my strongest suits.”

Blake chuckles, and bumps her shoulder. A sudden breeze rustles the leaves of the oak tree, and the map flies from Ruby’s hand, gliding into the nearby field until it comes to a stop right in the middle of the cows. The look on Ruby’s face is priceless, and Blake and Weiss spend the next five minutes laughing at Yang and Ruby’s attempts to retrieve the map without alarming the cows.

Blake looks at Weiss. There’s a new softness to her, something light in the way she laughs and shakes her head at the sisters’ antics, something carefree in the way she stands, leaning against the tree. “I’m sorry,” Blake blurts out, before she loses her nerve.

Weiss frowns, taken aback. “Why?”

“I apologized to Yang, but she’s not the only one I left behind.” Blake swallows. “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed this. And I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

Weiss gives her shoulder a little squeeze. “It’s alright, Blake, I understand why you left. Honestly, I’m just glad you came back. And I do hope that if you feel the urge to run again, you’ll remember an old promise you made me, a long time ago. To come to us first.”

“I won’t run,” Blake declares. Weiss nods, and Blake exhales, slowly, closing her eyes. She lets herself taste the truth of that statement, enjoying how good it feels to say those words without even a hint of doubt. She won’t run. The sun is high in the sky, deliciously warm on her skin, and for a moment, the entire world narrows down to the ripples of the wind in the trees, and the familiar sound of Yang and Ruby bickering. She won’t run.

“Uh… Blake?”

She opens her eyes. Yang and Ruby are running full speed towards them, gesticulating like mad women, and - oh no. Charging after them is the entire herd of cows.

“Run!”

 

The second attack happens on their fourth day after leaving the forest. They get ambushed by bandits, and it’s not even a challenge - the fight is over as soon as it starts, the bandits having clearly underestimated the four girls traveling alone. 

In the aftermath, surrounded by unconscious enemies, Blake looks over at Yang, expecting a victorious smile, at the very least cheerfulness. What she sees instead is Yang clutching her shaking hand against her chest, pale as the snowcapped mountains on the horizon.

It has the effect of a bucket of iced water. She averts her eyes quickly, and stares at the ground, heart thumping hard and painfully against her ribcage, feeling like she just witnessed something she wasn’t supposed to.

That night, in the tent, while Ruby and Weiss are on watch duty, Blake lies on her bedroll next to Yang with her eyes wide open, unable to sleep, replaying the image in her brain over and over again. It hurts in a way she doesn’t quite understand.

She probably would have stayed awake all night, if Yang hadn’t suddenly groaned. “Alright, what’s on your mind?” she whispers, lifting her head from her pillow to talk.

Blake stammers. “I… nothing! What?”

“You’ve been fidgeting and sighing ever since we went to bed. Clearly something’s bothering you. Spit it out, so we can both get some sleep!”

Blake rolls onto her side so she can face Yang. “I saw you, after the fight. Your hand was shaking.”

Yang opens her mouth. “Oh.” Her head falls back down on the pillow, and she turns around to lie on her back. “Yeah.”

“Is this…?” Blake hesitates, weary of reopening old wounds. “Has this been happening since Beacon?”

“Kinda,” Yang says. “It’s no big deal, though.” She keeps her voice neutral, but Blake hears the defeat in her words, and something more subtle, something akin to bitterness.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Blake asks, gently. Yang shrugs, and raises her human hand above her chest, like she’s inspecting it. 

“I didn’t think you’d care.”

Blake winces at the sudden twinge in her heart, the pain sharp and deep like she just got stabbed. “Of course, I care,” she blurts out, louder than she intended. Yang tilts her head towards her, curious - no, hopeful. 

“Of course, I care,” Blake repeats, low and insistent.

“You say that like it’s obvious,” Yang mumbles, letting her hand fall between them, “but you left me. After everything, after my arm, you _left_ , Blake. What was I supposed to think?”

Blake grabs Yang’s hand. “I left _because_ I care.” Yang’s fingers tense in her hand - Blake doesn’t let her go. “And I know, now, that it wasn’t the best choice, and it wasn’t fair to you, but don’t think for a second that I left because I didn’t care enough.”

Yang doesn’t say anything, but she squeezes Blake’s hand, interlocking their fingers, and that’s all the acceptance she needs. 

They’re still holding hands when they fall asleep.

 

Eventually, they make it to the coast.

Qrow is supposed to get there in the morning, possibly with an airship, so they set up camp on the beach for the night. Blake grills some fish on the fire, and they share a bottle of peach wine that Yang bought from a farmer a few days ago.

After a grand total of one glass of wine, Ruby all but passes out on Weiss’s shoulder. Yang rolls her eyes. “Lightweight,” she teases, smirking as Weiss helps Ruby to her feet. 

“Shut up,” Ruby mumbles, slurring her words a little. “I’m still your leader, you gotta treat me with repset…recpest…”

“Respect?” Blake provides.

“Yeah, that.” 

Weiss pats Ruby on the back and guides her to the tent. “Come on, fearless leader. It’s time for bed. Yang and Blake can take first watch.”

As soon as they disappear inside the tent, Yang lets out a chuckle. “I’m for sure telling Dad about this.”

Blake tuts, faking disapproval. “How disloyal of you. Betraying your own sister! Your flesh and blood!”

Yang laughs louder. “This is definitely Ruby’s villain origin story.” She stands up and raises a dramatic fist to the night sky, speaking in a high-pitched voice that vaguely resembles Ruby’s. “Curse you, Yang! You will pay for your betrayal! I will destroy everything you love…”

She cuts herself off at the look on Blake’s face. “Sorry,” Yang says, immediately. “I got carried away. Didn’t mean to remind you of… of him.”

Blake stares at the ground, shaking her head. “You’re fine.” The line of her shoulders is rigid, taut, and her hands balled into fists, like she’s not sure if she wants to fight or flee.

Yang’s throat tightens. The thought of Blake running away again is unbearable, and the last thing she wants is to scare her off. But some wounds need to be cauterized in order to fully heal, no matter how much the process hurts. So she walks up to where Blake is sitting crosslegged on the sand, and she asks the question, nervous but determined. 

“Blake, who is Adam to you?”

Blake looks up. “What do you mean?” She’s trying to act casual, but Yang knows her too well, knows the way her eyes narrow when she gets defensive, or the way her cat ears fold against her head when she’s anxious.

“You said he was your partner and your mentor. But you obviously had a close relationship with him, if his reaction to you leaving was to threaten everyone you love. That speaks of a personal connection. So, who was he to you?”

She waits, giving Blake some time to answer. Blake bites her lower lip, and avoids Yang’s eyes. “You can tell me,” Yang murmurs, taking a couple of steps forward, until her shins connect with Blake’s knees. 

She’s about to crouch down to her level, but before she can do anything, Blake’s head drops, and she rests her forehead against Yang’s thigh, hiding her face. Yang’s heartbeat stutters. She finds herself unable to move, looking down at the top of Blake’s head, her dark hair falling in waves below her shoulders. Blake mumbles something unintelligible.

“What?”

There’s a deep sigh, and Blake repeats, “I was in love with him.”

“Oh,” is all Yang says in response. Not that she never thought of the possibility, it’s just _different_ , hearing Blake say it. Blake’s hands shoot up and around the back of Yang’s knees, like she’s expecting Yang to move away from her, and her forehead presses harder against Yang’s thigh.

“What happened?” Yang prompts when it becomes clear that Blake needs some prodding.

“He wasn’t who I thought he was. He…” Her voice breaks a little, and her grip tightens on Yang’s legs. “He hurt me. In so many ways. He was controlling and violent, always lying and manipulating the truth to get what he wanted from me.” She takes a shaky breath. “I thought I would never be free of him, until I met you. All of you. And then he found me again.”

“Oh, Blake,” Yang says, heart sinking in her chest. Hesitantly, she places her hand on Blake’s head, right in between her cat ears, and rubs small, gentle circles with her thumb. 

Blake’s entire body tenses, and the material of Yang’s pants grows wet where Blake’s face is pressed against it, but Yang doesn’t pull away, nor does she move her hand.

“You okay?” she asks, eventually. 

Blake sniffles, shoulders still shaking a little. “I’m sorry,” she says, voice muffled and rough with tears. “I’m the one who hurt you, I should be the one comforting you.”

At that, finally, Yang takes a step back, and slides a finger under Blake’s chin, lifting her head. 

“Hey, we’re partners,” she asserts, seriously. “I’ll always be there for you if you need me, okay? And you need me right now.”

Blake stares at her with wide golden eyes, wordlessly, and there’s something so powerful in her gaze, something so raw and tender, that Yang can’t look away for a very, very long time.

 

Ruby knows her sister very well. Which is why it’s not exactly a surprise when she starts noticing how often Yang flirts with Blake. Yang flirts with a lot of people, and it never means anything. So yeah, Ruby notices it, but she doesn’t give it too much thought.

No, what takes her completely by surprise, what she never expected, is that sometimes, Blake _flirts back_. And every time she does, it turns her confident, playful, swaggering sister into a blushing mess. 

At first, it’s hilarious. The trip to Atlas via airship takes them the better part of a week, and Ruby’s never seen Yang so constantly flustered. Even Qrow keeps rolling his eyes at her towards the end. 

But as fun as it is to watch Yang get beaten at her own game, Ruby notices something else. The way Yang’s eyes light up when Blake makes a joke. The softness of her smile when she stares at Blake from afar. And the hint of sadness, the barest sense of restraint, underneath all the lighthearted teasing, like maybe Yang is holding herself back, somehow.

Ruby knows her sister very well. And this is entirely new territory.

On their last night before reaching Atlas, Ruby finds Yang on the airship exterior deck, right as the sun disappears below the horizon line. Fog is rising from the ocean, the air is crisp so high up in the sky, and Ruby tightens her red cloak around her shoulders, shivering.

Yang is standing alone at the prow, elbows resting on the railing. 

“Hey, sis,” Ruby says, coming up to her side.

“Hey, Ruby,” Yang replies, with a smile. “What’s up?”

“Weiss and Blake are reading, and Uncle Qrow is getting drunk with the crew, so you’re my only option for conversation.”

“Are you saying I was your last choice?” Yang asks, drily.

“I would never say that about my favorite sister,” Ruby jokes, and she lets out a little yelp when Yang pokes her in the ribs. 

They fall silent after that, as they both admire the view in front of them. The ocean is bathed in red and purple, seagulls shrieking above the fog and the waves. It’s so peaceful, Ruby wants to remember the scene forever. 

“Can I ask you something?” she says, in a soft voice. 

“Sure.”

“Are you…” Ruby pauses, unsure if she should say anything. But it’s _Yang_ , they’ve never kept secrets from each other before, and she’d rather not start now. “Are you in love with Blake?”

Yang tenses next to her, and Ruby expects a dismissal, but then her shoulders drop. “What gave it away?” she asks, quietly.

Ruby shrugs, and places her arms on the steel railing. “I don’t know, I’ve just never seen you act like that around anyone, so it got me wondering.” She drops her chin on her forearm, smirking. “Plus, you’re _really_ not subtle, so, there’s also that.”

Yang sticks out her tongue, and Ruby laughs at her, before growing serious again. “Do you plan on telling her?”

Yang sighs. “I’m… kinda not sure what to do. We went through a lot, and we’re finally in a good place again. I don’t wanna screw it up, you know.”

Ruby nods sagely. “Besides,” Yang continues, “Blake hasn’t had the best experiences in terms of relationships. So I’m not sure how she’d feel about it.”

“Well,” Ruby ventures, “I wouldn’t deny that she doesn’t seem to be not interested, if you know what I mean.” 

“I really don’t. That sentence was super confusing.”

Ruby rolls her eyes. “Hey, I’m trying to help!”

Yang pats her head, affectionately. “I know. I just don’t think there’s an easy solution to this. And that’s fine! I mean, it’s not a life or death situation.”

Ruby looks down at the ocean. With the sun gone, everything has turned dark, the vast expanse of water suddenly more ominous than beautiful. “Isn’t it?” she whispers. “We could be dead tomorrow.”

“Well, that’s not depressing at all.”

“I mean it,” Ruby insists, raising her head so she can look at Yang in the eye. “We’re fighting a war, a real war. There’s no guarantee any of us will make it out alive. We’ve lost people already, and I keep thinking about all the things I didn’t have time to tell them.”

Yang’s face stiffens, like she’s in pain, and she throws her arm around Ruby’s shoulders, hugging her close. Ruby swallows down the emotion clogging her throat, and keeps talking. “I want you to be happy. I want Blake to be happy. But most of all, I don’t want you to have regrets, if anything happens. So, I think you should let her know.”

Yang’s hand is rubbing her back, and it feels good, safe, familiar. “I’ll think about it,” Yang says in response, her tone a mix of concern and hope. Ruby nods, and rests her head against her sister’s shoulder. 

They stay like that for a while, watching as the stars gradually light up the dark sky above them, until Yang lets out a small chuckle. “When did you become so wise, anyway?”

Ruby clicks her tongue. “I always was. You just never listened to me before.”

“Yeah, yeah. Smart ass.”

“Jerk.’

 

Blake has never seen such a fancy party. They have dances in Menagerie, but it’s mostly casual wear and a local band playing on the beach while the older people sit around and gossip. Nothing could have prepared her for the full spectacle of an official atlesian celebration.

The ballroom is huge, the wooden floors shining under the bright light of a dozen silver chandeliers. There are servers gliding through the crowd to offer champagne and delicate appetizers, a string orchestra dressed in white suits, and the _guests_. Sumptuous gowns and light silks and velvet riding coats, pearls on every neck, monocles tucked in chest pockets, the smell of heavy perfume clouding the atmosphere.

Blake adjusts the black bow on her head, a little self-conscious. Hopefully, no one will look too closely at her attire. 

Yang stands beside her, sipping champagne from a crystal flute, and looking thoroughly amused. “Can you believe this?” she whispers, gesturing at the whole room in front of them. “No wonder Weiss was so… Weiss, when we met her.”

Blake snickers and glances at her, which is a mistake because Yang is wearing a suit, and it’s _incredibly_ distracting. She shakes herself out of it - now is not the time. In a little less than an hour, Ruby, Weiss and Qrow will sneak into the basement to steal some invaluable documents, and it will be down to Yang and Blake to create a distraction, drawing the attention of the house guards away from their friends. This is a very important mission, crucial to their victory, so Blake needs to stay on task, stay focused, stay…

“Do you want to dance?”

“Yes,” Blake replies, too fast. Yang raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment, disposing of her glass on a nearby table before she takes Blake’s hand. 

A few other couples are dancing already. Blake loops her arms around Yang’s neck, and Yang holds her by the waist, gently, as they start moving together, following the smooth rhythm of the music. 

“You remember the last time we danced?” Yang asks, after a few minutes of silence.

“Of course, I do,” Blake breathes out. _It’s one of my favorite memories of Beacon_ , she doesn’t say, but she presses herself a little closer to Yang, until they’re dancing cheek to cheek. 

They finish the dance quietly. When the music stops, Yang puts some distance between them, and looks at her with such intensity, Blake’s mouth turns dry. 

“Blake, I…” Yang pauses, and swallows thickly. There’s a thin line of worry between her eyebrows, and Blake wants nothing more than to smooth it out with her thumb.

Yang tucks an errant lock of hair behind Blake’s ear, and smiles, a soft, shy, fond smile that tugs at Blake’s heart.

“I really want to kiss you right now.”

Oh. The shock she feels at hearing those words is replaced with sudden, breathtaking hope.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you for a while,” Blake admits. 

Yang’s eyes twinkle, her cheeks redden, and she looks so pretty and happy and _young_ , the sight of her has a storm of emotions bubbling in Blake’s stomach, threatening to explode if she doesn’t do something.

“Upstairs,” Blake mumbles, before pulling Yang by the hand towards the majestic staircase. They make their way hurriedly to the third floor, hoping no one is paying attention to them. They’ve memorized the layout of the house when prepping for the mission, so Blake doesn’t hesitate, and leads them through a luxurious antechamber and onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard.

Outside, the air is cold, everything covered in a thin layer of snow. The moon is high in the sky, and paints the building in shades of blue and grey. Some of the guests have wandered out in the courtyard, to smoke or to escape the noise of the party, but nobody seems to be looking up towards the balcony.

Yang leans forward and watches the people meandering below them, before turning around to face Blake, arms crossed against her chest. Her golden hair shines under the moonlight, and she looks almost intimidating for a second, dark suit and lavender eyes and the sharp glint of metal where her right hand rests on her bicep. 

Blake presses the length of her body against Yang, pushing until Yang’s back hits the balustrade. She grabs her tie and pulls Yang’s head down towards her, slowly. And when their lips are close enough to touch, she stops moving, overcome by the closeness of her, savoring the intimacy of the moment.

“Blake,” Yang whines. Blake feels her warm breath on her lips, and the desire stirring in her chest flames up, sending sparks down her spine, down her belly, all the way down to her thighs, and she can’t wait anymore.

She kisses Yang.

She kisses her softly, at first, tenderness flooding from each brush of her lips. Yang’s hands fall on her hips, gentle and firm, anchoring her, and Blake turns greedy, biting at her lower lip and licking the sting away, slipping her tongue inside Yang’s mouth, demanding, devouring. Her fingers tighten on Yang’s tie, and Yang moans into her mouth, and Blake feels feverish, blood pulsing in her wrists. 

When they separate, Blake takes a shuddering breath, wondering dazedly how her lungs can function when every organ inside her is on fire. Yang’s mouth trails down her throat, leaving light kisses everywhere, until her lips find the point where Blake’s neck meets her shoulder, and she bites down, sucking a bruise on Blake’s skin.

Blake lets out a loud whimper. Yang’s hand flies to her mouth.

“Be quiet,” Yang scolds, playfully stern, before immediately breaking out in a delighted smile. “We don’t wanna make a scene.”

Blake nods. Yang’s hand is still covering her mouth, the metal cold against her lips. Her heart is beating wildly in her chest, her waist tingling where Yang is touching her. It’s too much, and not enough at the same time - and the weight of Yang’s eyes on her makes her hungry for more.

Yang’s fingers leave her mouth to cup her cheek. They look at each other. Blake is still holding onto Yang’s tie. “Did you ever think this is where we would end up?” Yang whispers. 

“Where?” Blake replies, teasingly. “Hiding in a ball in Atlas? Sneaking out to kiss on a balcony? On a super secret mission in the middle of a war?”

“Together,” Yang says, softly. 

Blake turns her head so she can kiss the palm of Yang’s metal hand. “Well, I know there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

 

 


End file.
